Does semi-wet wood need more oxygen to burn?

[snyper77]

Using a Lang 60.

I recently ran out of some good, dry, cherry splits and now I'm using 7 month old pecan. It's still "heavy" with moisture and it's tough to get my fires started (and tough to keep them burning).

Lets say I get the Lang up to temp, and I need to add 2 splits. Well, after 10 minutes, I notice they are smoldering, not burning. I open the door, stoke them once and 'woof', they light. Close the door, 5-10 minutes, they are smoldering again until I open the door. Seems as long as I leave the door open, they'll burn.

All 4 dampers on the firebox are wide open. Smoke stack damper is wide open. I don't recall having this problem with the dry cherry wood. Can someone help me understand this? Why does the wood seem to burn fine with the door open? Thanks!

[Boshizzle]

Green wood is a pain. It may require much more air. Try leaving the door open as little as needed. If a crack in the door is needed, it shouldn't be a big problem.

[snyper77]

Wow, really? I can't seem to understand how green wood needs more air. Also, with all 4 dampers open on the FB, and it still won't burn - would you say it's a design flaw?

[Boshizzle]

It's not a design flaw. I've experienced the same thing with my Lang in the past. Green wood does not burn as hot as well seasoned wood. That's a fact.

[snyper77]

Ok, I'm with you there - not burning as good, or as hot, but why is does it seem to need more oxygen than what the 4 dampers can supply??

[Boshizzle]

Sometimes more air flow is needed. That's just the way it is. I use the door on my Jambo to add more air if needed too. The Jambo is a traditional horizontal smoker and not a reverse flow like the Lang.

I don't think that you can blame the smoker for the limitations of green wood. You really have to adjust what you are doing to your fuel. That's what cooking with all wood is about. It's not as simple as cooking with lump or charcoal. All wood cooks take some ingenuity on the part of the cook.

[PitRow]

Seems to make sense to my feeble mind. Green wood would require more combustion energy to go into the evaporation of moisture in the wood, therefore you need a bigger fire to get the same temps in the pot. Bigger fire, more air needed.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2

[42BBQ]

I struggled with green wood a little bit too early on with oak on my Meadowcreek. What I found out is that I need to keep my smoking wood completely dry and out of the weather. I also split it pretty small before I stack it in my garage. I try to always have two cooks worth of wood ready to go. With my oak it wasnt as much an issue with not being seasoned, I just needed to keep it dry. Good luck.

[BBQ Bandit]

As Bo mentioned... since its 'wet' - its like trying to burn damp paper.
Betcha it smokes and stinks alot, too.

How's wet matches? Damp charcoal?
Its just another hindrance from clean burning and higher temperatures.



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